Electrically-illuminated artificial tree



July 24, 1928; 7 1,677,972

E. s. MARKS ELECTRICALLY ILLUMINATED ARTIFICIAL TREE Filed Aug. 5, 1927A T TOR/IE Y5 I bodiment of the invention,

A the tree which is formed of a plurality 0 Patented July 24, 1928.-

UNITED STATES EMANUEL S. MARKS, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELEGTBIGALLY-ILLUMINATED ABTIIIGIAL TREE.

Application filed August 8, 1927. Serial No. 210,245.

down tree wherein plurality of separably connected parts and thebranches or limbs are removable from the trunk.

A further object is to provide such an artificial tree wherein thebranches or limbs are formed of wires which also serve as electricalconductors in the lightmg circuit and have electric lamp socketsattached thereto.

Other objects are to provide an artificial tree of the characterdescribed in which the trunk has mounted therein a plurality ofelectrical outlet'fixtures or sockets connected in a circuit, and thebranches have connecte I thereto electric plugs to separably engage saidoutlets, whereby said outlets and sald plugs serve both to mount andsupport the branches on the trunk and to electr cally connect said lampsockets in the circu t; to provide such a construction wh1ch 1s simpleand inexpensive, and to obtam other advantages and results as will bebrought out by the following description.

Referring to the accompany ng drawings, in which corresponding and hkeparts are designated throughout the several views by the same referencecharacters,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artificial tree embodying myinvention, with some 0 the branches removed to more clearly lllllS-trate the details of construction;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewthrough a portion of the tree, and o Figure 3 is a horlzontal sectlonalv1ew,

taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Specifically describing the illustrated emthe reference character Adesignates the trunk portion of axially alined-separably connectedsections B, the lower one of which is separably -connected in anysuitable manner as by screw threads, as indicated at 1, to a base 0. Thetrunk portion A is referably hollow and has secured in its wa ls aplurality of electrical connector outlet elements 2 WhlCh are theresulting crude.

s aced vertically and cireumferentially of t e trunk portion, and withwhich cooperate electrical connector plug elements 3, one a one end ofeach of the branches 4.

' The branches 4 are formed of stiff insulated wires 5 to which isattached in any suitable manner material 6 for simulating the foliage ofthe tree. For exam 1c, the material 6 may be shreds of paper w ich arespun upon the wires 5 to simulate the needles of a pine tree. The wires5 are mechanically and electrically connected to the plug elements 3which may be of any suitable construction. As shown, these plug elementsconsist of a body 7 of insulating material having a central opening 8through which pass the wires 5, contact prongs 9 being secured to thebody 7 in any suitable manner as by the screws 10 which may also serveto fasten the wires 5 to said prongs. At any suitable point on thebranch 4 is mounted an electrlc lamp socket 11 of known constructionwhich is also electrically connected to the wires 5 so as to be incircuit therewith. The electrical connection of the Wire to the socketalso serves to hold the socket on the branch 4.

The outlet elements 2 on the trunk of course are of a construction tocooperate with the plug elements 3, and as shown may f The plug elements3 are connected to the outlet elements in the usual manner, that is, byinserting the prongs 9 into the spring contact members 14 by alongitudinal push. The outlet members 2 and plug elements 3 thus serveboth tosu port the respective branches 4 on the trunk portion A and toelectrically connect the wires 5 with the wires 16. The wires 16 areconnected at the 'base of the tree to an extension cord or the like 17to which is attached an electrical f connecting plug 18 for connectingthe circuit to a source of electricity.

To facilitate in wiring the outlet elements 2, the sections B of thetrunk portion are longitudinally divided into two parts which areadapted to be arranged with their ed es in abutting relation and be*held toget er by'the means connecting the sect1ons to each other, orsaid parts may be connected together by any other suitable means. Asshown, each of the sections B has an interiorly threaded end 19 whichreceives the exteriorly threaded end 20 of the next adjacent section,although any other suitable means for connecting said section may beutilized.

The outlet elements located on the trunk portion so that the brancheswill be located in close simulation to the branches-of a natural tree,and I have found that by arranging the outlet elements in a doublehelix, the branches may be very realistically arranged on the trunkportion.

Obviously it is within the scope of the invention to form the bodies ofthe limbs or branches 4 of any suitable material, for example a tubularmaterial, wires 5 within the branches, or the wires might be exteriorlymechanically connected to thebody portions of the branches. Theinvention is susceptible of embodiment in many other details ofconstruction, and therefore I do not desire to be understood as limitingmyself except as required by the following claims when construed in thelight of the'prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim 1s:

1. An artificial electrically illuminated tree, comprising a trunkportion, a plurality of, electric outlet fixtures mounted therein, meansfor connecting all of said fixtures in an electric circuit, a pluralityof branches each having electric wires extending therethrough, anelectric connector element to se arately fit any of said outlet fixturesan electrically connected to said wires, and'a lamp socket electricallyconnected to said wires.

2. An artificial electrically illuminated tree, comprising a hollowtrunk portion, a plurality of electric outlet fixtures mounted therein,means for-connecting all of said fixtures in an electric circuit, aplurality of branches, electric circuit wires arranged within said trunkandsaid branches, lamp sockets mounted on said branches and electricallyconnected to said circuit wires, and means for electrically connecting.said circuit wires to a source of, electricity.

3. An artificial electrically illuminated tree, comprisin a trunkportion, a plurality of electnc outlet fixtures mounted 2 should ofcourse be and arrange the I element to separabl .therein, means forconnecting all of said able material attached thereto to simulate thefoliage of a tree, having at one end thereof-an electrical connectorelement to separably engage any of said outlets on the connected to saidwires so that said outlets and said connector elements cooperate tosupport the respective branches on the trunk and to connect the wires ofthe respective branches in said circuit, and mounted on said branchesand electrically connected to the wires therein.

4. An artificial electrically illuminated tree, comprising a hollowtrunk portion divided transversely into a plurality of sections each ofwhich is longitudinally divided into a plurality of parts, means forseparably connecting the parts of the re spective sections and forseparably connecting said sections together, a plurality of electricalconnector outlet elements secured in said sections, wires extendingthrough said sections to connect said electrical connector elements in acircuit, a plurality of branches, electrical circuit wires arrangedwithin said branches, an electrical connector engage any of said outletelements secure to each of said branches and electrically connected tosaid circuit wires in said branches, and lamp sockets mounted upon saidbranches and electrically connected to said circuit wires therein.

5. An artificial tree com portion formed of a plura ity of sections,means for separably connecting said sections, a plurality of branches,and separably cooperating plug and socket members on said trunk portionand said branches for separably mounting said branches upon said trunk.

6. An artificial tree comprising a trunk rising a trunk EMANUEL s.MARKS. I

each of said branches trunk and electrically lamp sockets

